New Program to Improve Access to National Parks

The government will gradually increase four types of residential natural experience facilities. (image: Korea National Park Service)

SEOUL, March 27 (Korea Bizwire) — A project to provide various accommodation facilities and programs will be carried out in earnest, focusing on low-lying national parks.

The purpose of the project is to prevent cases where nature is damaged due to the culture of mountain climbing and to allow those from all walks of life, such as children, the elderly, and the disabled to enjoy mountains.

The Ministry of Environment and the Korea National Park Service said Thursday they will gradually increase four types of residential natural experience facilities, including so-called ‘Eco Cabins’ made of eco-friendly materials and ‘Eco Lodges’ in the form of log houses.

For the time being, the two agencies are considering establishing such facilities at about 10 mountain and marine national parks this year.

The government will also introduce a new experience facility combining a tower and a tour route where visitors can see various views in low-lying areas of the national park and observe the ecology of the middle and upper parts of the forest.

In addition, the two agencies will also promote natural experiences such as “stamp tours” that cover national parks and national geological parks.

Meanwhile, social commerce enterprises will also be established in connection with the “green lunch box” service offered by local restaurants or lunch box companies using regional products.

“The highlands of national parks with excellent ecosystems will be returned to places where wild animals live and enjoy,” said Park Yeon-jae, director general of the Ministry of Environment’s Nature Conservation Bureau.

M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)